What are we looking for?

Jericho Primary School Governing Board is made up of Parents, Staff, Local Authority and Co-opted Governors. Coopted Governors include both parents and members of the community. Our Governors may come to us through a variety of routes and with a range of different backgrounds, skills and experiences, but they are volunteers who work together for the benefit of the school and are the link between the school and the community it serves.

We are currently looking for 2 new Co-opted Governors and would be delighted to hear from anyone who has:

• A keen interest in the performance of the school
• A desire to contribute to and represent the community
• An open and enquiring mind
• The ability to look at issues objectively
• The confidence to ask questions
• A willingness to listen and make informed judgements
• The ability to work well with others

What can we offer?

Being a Governor can be enjoyable, stimulating and rewarding. It can also offer:

• A chance to develop skills in strategic management
• The opportunity to work with our team of governors and staff in improving our school
• Training to develop an understanding of specific school management issues
• A sense of achievement in making a difference to our school
• The pleasure of helping students reach their potential

What is the Governing Board's Role?

The Governing Body of Jericho Primary School has three core functions:

• Setting Strategic Direction - championing our vision, values and ethos and setting priorities for school improvement
• Holding to account - we are responsible for holding the Head Teacher and Senior Leaders to account for the quality of teaching and learning, levels of achievement, behaviours and safety
• Ensuring good financial governance - ensuring good financial management by setting and overseeing the budget, ensuring that resources are allocated to school priorities and needs

In practice, though, the Governing Board can be best described as a 'critical friend'. The Head Teacher has overall responsibility for the internal organisation, management and control of the school, and for Jericho Primary School that means creating an environment where everyone can thrive and reach their full potential; children, teaching and support staff. The Governing Board is there to provide a framework which helps the Head

Teacher to deliver the aims and vision of Jericho Primary School and enables her to reach her potential through the right mix of support and challenge.

Additional information

• The Full Governing Board meets a minimum of 6 times a year; 3 as the Full Governing Board and 3 as the Leadership & Management/Curriculum team
• As a Governor you may be required to have a special responsibility, ie as the Special  Educational Needs Governor or the Health & Safety Governor

Remember

You don't have to be a parent - please feel free to share this with friends, relatives or colleagues who you think may have an interest in becoming involved. Please don’t be put off by thinking that you have to have specialist experience or knowledge. Enthusiasm and interest is much more important to start with and there is training and support to help

you, including an induction programme and training provided through the Local Authority, as well as experienced Governors to support you.

If you are interested, please submit the attached expression of interest email to: Clerk to the Governors, Jericho Primary School, Windsor Court, Whitehaven, CA28 6UX or via the school email: admin@jericho.cumbria.sch.uk